with all due respect Abu A...Mindanao is under the Jurisdiction of the Philippine government as supported by numerous doctrines and treaties. Muslims have no right whatsoever to appeal a secession from Philippine Control.

Bottomline is Mindanao is part of the Philippines, Muslims are Filipinos. If only that could be understood, we would've been spared from senseless bloodshed.

I believe Mindanao belongs to everybody. Remember that before the Christians came in the 16th Century and before the Muslims came in the 13th Century, there were already the indigenous "lumads" inhabiting Mindanao.

The Muslims may have come earlier than the Christians but they weren't the original settlers of the island. The religion was only spread in the 13th Century but as of this day, there are still the "lumads" in various parts of Mindanao who did not embrace Islam and who did not convert to Christianity. If one goes by who came first, then I would say Mindanao belongs to "lumads".

But since we live in a pluralistic society and mass migration has already taken place, I believe all of us must now accept that Mindanao is for all Filipinos: Muslims, Christians and "lumads".

Mindanao already belongs to the filipinos regardless of race and religion, Muslims are filipinos or aren't they? Also, the Philippines is NOT a christian country, although most of its inhabitants are christians it isn't right to claim that christianity is the "official" religion of the country, The constitution says that no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, AND the state cannot punish a person for entertaining or professing religios beliefs or disbeliefs. shame on some of you christians for treating muslims as second class citizens and shame on some of you muslims for outcasting yourselves from the general populace because of religious differences, religion just messes everything up.In my opinion, Muslims already own mindanao. What else are you asking for?

I don't agree to the contention that Mindanao is land of and exclusively for the Muslims. With all due respect, Mindanao belongs to the Philippines. As such no group or indivvidual can claim exclusive ownership over the island. There are many Christians in Mindanao who have lived there for decades. Is it right to oust them? I think not.

Enshrined in our Constitution is the right of abode and travel. Thus, every Filipino, regardless of religion or culture, can live freely anywhere in the Philippines, subject only to the requirements of public safety and security and health. So that Muslims may also enjoy the right to live and move freely anywhere in the Philippines, Mindanao should not be given separate entity or independence.

I think Abu A. means that Mindanao should be declared an autonomous region, since most of our leaders don't seem to give a hoot anyway with regard to running that island well. Their attentions seem to be focused on the goings-on of Luzon, and to a certain extent, Visayas.

I am open to the idea of letting the Muslims run Mindanao, as long as it's not seceded from the Philippines. They're the ones living there, they know what they need and what they don't need, and they care a lot more about what happens to their homes for sure compared to our Manila-based politicians.

Our brother Muslims in the south were already given the chance to self-governance thru ARMM. A plebescite was held for them to choose to be a member of this region or not.But the result speak the sentiment of the general populace of the "to be created region".Only few provinces elected to become member.That was a chance for them to gain autonomy from the centralized form of Philippine government. Ang ARMM ba ay hindi sapat para sa pag-sasarili(autonomy) nang mga kapatid nating muslim? Seccession is not a solution to the problem, in fact it will only complicate the problem since majority of the Mindanaoans are christians who love to be called Filipinos. There are other groups who planned Mindanao Independence before (remember Mindanao Independence Movement-MIM of Reuben Canoy?) but never succeeded. Tama na yung ARMM, even expanding ARMM to other Mindanao provinces should be ratified by the Mindanaoans by way of a plebescite and not executive orders to hear what really Mindanaoans want.

the world is ruled by the mightiest...the one who has the strongest power will rule.

mindanao is the land of the afp and the squatting people from the visayas and luzon.
the muslims are now squatters in their historical land.

it reminds me about the opinion of my priest friend. he said mindanao is like the case of a man who through his kindness and hospitality accomodated a homeless man. a cousin of the homeless came too. then, the brother ana\d the wife. thence, the house become very crowded and non-livable. the visitors opined that they should have a vote to determine if who owns the house...definitely the owner of the house lost and he is booted out.

this is the scenario in mindanao...shame...

sense of justice....in the philippines shame and justice is like the maountainous garbage in payatas...it stink...but most people live and die for it...

mindanao is not owned by the muslims but by the squatters from visayas and luzon supported by the afp mad dog...